Biden Designates Two New National Monuments

President Joe Biden has designated two new national monuments in California, the Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument, protecting a total of 848,000 acres. The Chuckwalla National Monument spans 624,000 acres near Joshua Tree National Park and holds cultural significance for several Native American tribes, including the Cahuilla and Mojave, while preserving over 50 rare species. The Sáttítla Highlands National Monument covers 224,000 acres near the Oregon border, featuring the dormant Medicine Lake Volcano. These actions contribute to the Moab to Mojave Conservation Corridor, a protected area stretching 600 miles across four states. Biden's use of the Antiquities Act has resulted in the protection of more than 674 million acres, marking a record for conservation by any U.S. president. In a separate initiative, President Biden also signed the Women's Suffrage National Monument Location Act, establishing a monument on the National Mall to honor women's fight for voting rights, initiated by Colorado sculptor Jane DeDecker.